On Kosovo Force Day, the Kosovo Security Force (KSF) once again displayed its military equipment and operational capacities—an annual tradition marking the evolution of a force whose foundations were laid nearly three decades ago.
Twenty-eight years have passed since the Kosovo Liberation Army (KLA) first appeared publicly, emerging as a necessary response to Serbian oppression. The KLA’s first public appearance occurred on 28 November 1997, at the funeral of teacher Halit Geci in Llausha, Skenderaj. It was there that future commanders Daut Haradinaj, Rexhep Selimi and Mujë Krasniqi, wearing the KLA uniform, stepped onto the platform and signaled the beginning of open armed resistance.
The War Years
Between February and March 1998, Commander Adem Jashari and his unit brought much of the Drenica region under KLA control. Soon after, overwhelming Serbian military and police forces launched heavy assaults on the area.
Jashari, alongside his extended family and comrades, resisted for three days and nights from their compound. Fifty-six members of the Jashari family, aged between 5 and 74, were killed, refusing to surrender and becoming a symbol of Kosovo’s struggle for freedom.
Demilitarization and the Birth of New Institutions
After the war ended, Kosovo entered a new phase. As part of the Kumanovo Agreement and in line with the Rambouillet Accords, the KLA underwent demilitarization in 1999. Its fighters handed over their weapons to pave the way for a new institutional structure: the Kosovo Protection Corps (KPC/TMK).
Operating under the authority of UNMIK, the KPC’s mission included disaster response, demining, reconstruction assistance, and support for vulnerable communities.
A New Chapter: The Kosovo Security Force
In 2007, UN Special Envoy Martti Ahtisaari proposed a comprehensive plan for Kosovo’s status, which included the dissolution of the KPC and the creation of a new force.
On 20 January 2009, the KPC was formally dissolved, giving rise to the Kosovo Security Force (KSF). Initially mandated with civil protection tasks—such as responding to natural disasters, fires, and emergencies—the KSF represented Kosovo’s first step toward building its own professional defense structures.
Toward a Full Armed Force
On 4 March 2014, the Government of Kosovo decided to establish the Kosovo Armed Forces, a plan which remained politically blocked for several years. Finally, in December 2018, the Assembly of Kosovo adopted the laws that initiated the formal transformation of the KSF into a regular army.
The transformation process was projected to last ten years and included:
- Expansion of personnel
- Modernization of equipment
- Strengthening territorial defense structures
- Intensified cooperation with the U.S., U.K., and NATO
Today: A Professional Force Nearing Completion of Its Transition
By 2025, Kosovo stands in the final stages of this transformation. The KSF has steadily increased its budget, personnel, reserves, and modern capabilities, while participating in large-scale international exercises and deepening strategic ties with Western allies.
Today, the KSF is widely regarded as a professional, stable, and rapidly modernizing institution—well on its way to becoming the fully operational Army of Kosovo, capable of safeguarding the country’s sovereignty and contributing to regional stability.
